Vacuum refrigerating system.



C. C. 10NES. VACUUM REFRIGERATING SYSTENL APPucATxoN man SEPT. 5. 1914.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

l/ AQ/ nation and arrangement cames concocx JONES, .0F 1.208 ANGELES, CALIFORNIA- vhcmm nnrarenna'rme sxs'rnu.

Speooation o! Letters Patent.

Appunti@ :nea september 5, 1914. l semi No. 860,427.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAnLEs Conoocx JONES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Vacuum Re erating System, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of this invention is to improve the refrigeration systems of cars to render them more e cient, economical, and practical in every respect.

Another. object of the invention is to 'provide a refrigerating system especially designed for use in connection with trains of refrigerator cars which makes the cars germ and bacteria proof thus preventing decay,

fermentation, and deterioration of food roducts in transit.

A further object of the invention is toprovide, in a system of this nature, double walled refrigerator cars of air tight construction Whlch may be Nery economically manufactured and will possess the requisite amount of strength and durability.

Another and equally important object of the invention is to provide, in a system of this nature, means for creating a vacuum in the cargo receiving portion of the car and a separate vacuum between the spaced steel walls of a car while the train is in motion.

With these and other objects in view, as will become more apparent as the descrip tion proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combiof parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated and claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is la side elevation of a train with the improved refrigerator cars shown in section.

Fig. 2 is nal, sectional view through one of showing various attachments in thereon. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view through a car with the arrangement of pipes for the exhaust apparatus shown in elevation and,

Fig. fi is a detailed, horizontal, sectional view showing the door construction.

1n Fig. 1, l have illustrated a train cornprising a plurality of refrigerator cars 1 constructed in accordance with my invention, a tender c and an engine b. The cars an enlarged, vertical, longitudithe cars position are o f double steel Wall construction having interior wallsQ and exterior walls 3, spaced from the interior walls and completely inclosmg the same. Both the inner anddiuter walls are preferably formed of sheet metal plates connected by air-tight joints soV that a vacuum may be maintained both in the chamber 4 and the insulating space or chamber 5. Any suitable spacing and reinforcing elements as I-beams 6, or othervform of metal girders may ner and outer walls in spaced relation. En-

trance to the cars is provided by double' doors 7 and 8, secured to the exterior of the car by the hinges 9 so as to swing outwardly. These doors are hollowas best illustrated in Fig. 4, and close against packing stripsor gaskets 10 closure. I prefer to form the doors we ge shape, as illustrated, to better. insure a tight lit. Each door is provided with an exhaust valve l2 and a pressure gage 13 to be hereinafter referred to.

ln the preferred embodiment of the vacu-I um creating apparatus, l provide each car with a main exhaust pipe 14, suitably secured in position and extending longitudinally from one -end of the car -to the other. A branch pipe connects the ipe 14n with the chamber 5 between 'the wa ls of a car and a second branch terior chamber 4 of a car with the exhaust pipe 14. Each of these pipe are provided with'check valves 17 and cut-out cocks 18.

rlhe exhaust pipes 14 are connected in alinement to one another by lengths of coupling hose 19 so as to form a continuous exhaust service line, the forward end of which may be connected to an exhaust pump 20, mounted on the engine. When the pump 20 is operating and the cut-out cocks i8 open, the chambers li and 5 are exhausted of air thus establishing two independent vacuums.

1t will, of course, he understood that this method of creating a' vacuum of many methods which may be ein layed. To exhaust the air from the hollow 'cors 7 and 8, a hose may be connected to an auxiliary valve 21, in the pipe 1a, and tothe exhaust valve 12. The gage 13 and the gages 22 and 23 communicatin bers a and 5 respectively, vacuum produced.

Some means must be provided for breaking the vacuum in the chamber i to enable the doors of the car to be opened and to ac= ow the degree of pipe 16 connects the in' is only one with the cham-- I Patented Nov. 13, 1917. l

be used to hold the inand 11 so as to form an ht'4 ice ' that in my complish this I provide a relief valve 24;. 25 is a relief valve communicating with the insulating chamber 5.

o prevent the rarefied air Within the cargo chamber of a car from desiccating fruit, vegetables and other produce containing Water, I equip the car with an exterior Water tank 26, connlected with tle. interior of the car by a. su p pipe 26', t e passa e through which is fibntirolled through a valgo 27. A second su ply pipe 28 may be connected to the tanli) so as to carry water into the chamber 5 to cool the Walls of the car Yy evaporation. Instead of manually oontrolling the How of water into the Chambers 4 and 5 by operation of thevalves 27, I may employ a humidostat 29, of any Well known type, automatically controlling the admission of the water.

If desired, an ice bunker 30 may be placed Within the cargo chamber of the car to hold ice which will act as a positive cooling agencyand which in melting will also supply moisture to the rarefied atmosphere. A door 3l is provided to give easy access to the ice-box.

Although the rarefied atmos here of the chamber 4f will ordinarily suflie to retard multiplication of all germs and bacteria, under certain conditions, it may be advisable to fill this chamber With la life destroying gas which, of course, may be easily accomplished. Attention is directed to thefact refrigerator car, no appreciable amount of space is consumed to reduction of dead Weight uces the cost of refriglealrs or pun'etures may by a coating of shellac 'the metal inthe usual foregoing description ta'lren in connection with accompanying drawings,

1n food products chilled before being placed in the cars.

What I claim is:

n a refrigerating system, a train of double Walled cars each forming an airof th being provided with d and means connectlng the cars together for establishing a vacuum in each of said chambers and for maintaining,r the vacuum in the'surrounding chambers when the doors of the cargo chambers are open.

n a refrigerating system, a train of air-tight, double Walled cars,l and means carried by the train for simultaneously creating a vacuum in the'cars and between the double' walls thereof.

n a re rigerating system, a train of ving an a1r-tight'cargo chamber, an exhaust pipe connecting each cargo chamber to an exhaust service line and each car o service line. i

4. A refrigerator car of double walled construction forming an air-tight cargo chamber and forming an air-tight chamber surrounding and independent of the cargo chamber, said cargo chamber being provided With a door, and means for establishing a vacuum in each of said chambers in the surcargo chamber is open.

ln testimony whereof, l have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 27th day of August, i914.

CHARLES CUL'CCK JQNES. in presence oief Lorman@ E. Donizetti',

.Renner M. Sierre. 

